University of Utah business school hires new full-time MBA director

SALT LAKE CITY — The University of Utah's David Eccles School of Business has hired entrepreneur and educator Dave Harris as director of the full-time MBA program.

Harris is the founder and former CEO of University Prep Cafe, an Oklahoma City-based college and career readiness company. He has more than 24 years of experience in higher education, including tenure as president of Robert B. Miller College in Michigan from 2009-2012. He has worked as a business school dean at two universities.

“MBA programs must deliver both inside and outside of the classroom,” Harris said. “The University of Utah full-time MBA program will expand its leadership development opportunities for students by expanding its strategic alliances in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors. ... And we plan to launch an executive mentoring program later this year that will provide meaningful hands-on learning opportunities.”

Harris was raised in Japan and was national manager of new business development at Itochu Corporation, a Japanese trading company based in Tokyo, where he established and managed joint ventures in the United States and Asia. He also served as dealer marketing administrator for Murata Business Systems, a Japanese fax machine company.